Golden Gophers – Page 402 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Worth Noting

Posted on April 23, 2012April 24, 2012 by David Shama

The Twins open a three-game series tonight at home against Boston. The Twins haven’t won the season series between the two teams since 2006 when Minnesota won five of six games.

Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano has pitched a total of 16.1 innings in four starts this season for the Twins, never going beyond five innings. He is 0-3 with a 11.02 ERA and has walked 13 batters. After yesterday’s game against Tampa Bay, Liriano might be headed to the bullpen or minor leagues.

Former Twins infielder Tim Teufel is in his first season as the Mets’ third base coach.

Congratulations to Sean Gothier, Todd Fultz and other organizers of last night’s sold out awards dinner for the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation held at the University of St. Thomas. Among the many awards presented was the Courage Award to Derek Klinkner who had his football career ended at Southwest Minnesota State because of a farm accident.

The Gophers paid tribute to the late Gary Tinsley with a video rememberance before the spring game on Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium.

Among the players who have impressed coach Jerry Kill is sophomore defensive back Derrick Wells who has added about 20 pounds since last year. “He looks like what you’re supposed to look like,” Kill said.

Ex-Gophers in attendance at the spring game included Bobby Bell, Judge Dickson, Jim Brunzell, George Adzick, Matt Spaeth and Eric Decker.

Junior Tim Cornett, who led UNLV in rushing the last two seasons, ran for touchdowns of 57 and 17 yards in the Rebels spring game last Friday. The Gophers open on the road against UNLV, 2-11 last season, on August 28.

Former Star Tribune journalist Jay Weiner is a speech writer for University of Minnesota president Eric Kaler.

Former Gophers point guard and Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders speaks to the C.O.R.E.S. group on Thursday, May 10 in Bloomington. C.O.R.E.S. members can make reservations by contacting Jim Dotseth.

It will be Fan Appreciation Night on Thursday when the Wolves play their last game of the season at Target Center. Upper level tickets are available for $5. A free pregame party headlined by the Urban Myth Band will be held on the Target Plaza from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Is Target Center trying to secure the annual National Collegiate Hockey Conference Tournament starting in 2015?

The Big Ten Men’s Hockey Tournament will be played at Xcel Energy Center in 2014 and 2016. Big Ten Conference men’s hockey begins with the 2013-14 season and participating teams are Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin.

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Big Ten Analyst: U Progress Best

Posted on April 20, 2012April 20, 2012 by David Shama

Gerry DiNardo had high praise for the Gophers football program this week.

The Big Ten Network’s in-studio analyst, and former head football coach at Indiana and LSU, came to Minnesota’s campus earlier this spring and Tuesday night voiced this opinion on the Big Ten Football Report show:

“Big picture is this. A year ago I thought if you ranked the teams 1 thru 12 in spring practice, Minnesota would be 12^th. I don’t see it that way right now. I think Minnesota has made the most progress of any of the teams that we’ve seen from one spring to the next. …”

DiNardo said the Gophers are a different program under Jerry Kill who was hired in December of 2010 to replace Tim Brewster. “…The offense, the defense has changed, but more important I think the reason it has been such a good and tough transition is—and this word is overused—Jerry Kill has changed the culture. The way they do things. That was culture shock a year ago—man, have they come a long way in one year.”

Fans can make their own judgments tomorrow starting at 11 a.m. in TCF Bank Stadium when Minnesota plays its annual spring game. Most observers who have watched the program in recent weeks believe the Gophers are bigger, stronger, faster, more athletic and sure of themselves than the group that practiced last spring.

What does that mean for next fall? Probably a better team and more wins than in 2011 when Minnesota was 3-9. The 2012 schedule looks less formidable than last fall and anything less than a 4-0 nonconference start against UNLV, New Hampshire, Western Michigan and Syracuse will be a mild disappointment. If the Gophers can find two wins in an eight-game league schedule then Minnesota would have a 6-6 overall record and bowl eligibility.

Not only are Kill and his staff more settled in with themselves and the players, but the Gophers have a talented senior starter at quarterback. A year ago MarQueis Gray was trying to win the job but now he’s in the conversation about the Big Ten’s better quarterbacks.

Gray will need to be healthy and extremely productive for the Gophers to have a .500 season or better. A lot of teammates will have to step up, too, because despite the program’s progress there are many more questions than answers about this team.

Offense? Defense? Special teams? The Gophers have to improve all three units in the next 12 months if DiNardo is going to consider making the same pronouncement in 2013 he did this week.

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Worth Noting

Posted on April 18, 2012April 18, 2012 by David Shama

Before the Vikings stadium bill was defeated in legislative committee on Monday night an amendment was attached directing Minneapolis officials to hold a referendum allowing residents to approve or disapprove the city’s funding of the proposed stadium.

Shortstop Brian Dozier, 24, was among the Twins final spring training cuts and is hitting .362 for Triple-A Rochester. But don’t expect him to be recalled unless management is convinced he’s ready to play every day in the big leagues for the first time in his pro career. He won’t be recalled to sit on the bench and would take over for Jamey Carroll, 38, at shortstop.

Twins pitcher Nick Blackburn injured his right shoulder in Saturday’s home game against the Rangers, but it didn’t keep him away from Target Center on Saturday night where the Oklahoma native watched the Timberwolves and Oklahoma City.

Got a sports “bucket list” for places and events? Sports Illustrated offered these suggestions in its April 9 issue: Wrigley Field Bleachers, Caribbean Series, College World Series, Duke vs. North Carolina Basketball, Lambeau Field, British Open at St. Andrews, Indianapolis 500, Notre Dame Football, Bruins at Canadiens, Wimbledon, NBA Finals Game 7 and Penn Relays. What’s at the top of your list?

Admission will be free and 3,000 or so fans may attend the Gophers spring football game on Saturday that begins at 11 a.m. in TCF Bank Stadium. Alabama drew 78,526 at the Crimson Tide’s spring game last weekend.

Look for sophomore wide receiver Marcus Jones, who didn’t have contact this spring while recovering from a torn ACL, to be among Minnesota’s best playmakers in the fall.

Philip Nelson, the Mankato West quarterback who started classes at Minnesota last winter, might draw more attention from fans at the spring game than any other newcomer. Rival freshman quarterback Mitch Leidner, another winter enrollee, will be fun to watch, too. Leidner is from Lakeville South.

A key negotiating point between the University of Minnesota and Tubby Smith regarding a contract extension could be buyout compensation if the Gophers later decide to change coaches. Smith has two years remaining on his present contact, and it’s not likely an extension will come before the University hires a new athletic director.

The search for a new athletic director is a priority task for new University president Eric Kaler. The search plan was announced on February 21 and it wouldn’t be surprising if about 10 people have been identified as final candidates. Their profiles will probably include business and sports administration experience.

Will Kevin Love’s late season concussion impact his availability for the Olympics? In January the Timberwolves All-Star forward was named one of 20 finalists for the U.S. Olympic team. The official 12-man team will be announced later this spring.

Adrian Peterson tweeted that fellow running back Toby Gerhart’s injured knee from last season won’t keep him from participating in organized training activities in late May. Peterson also tweeted he’s giving $1 million to Oklahoma, his alma mater.

Ridiculous: the NFL schedule announced yesterday that has the Vikings playing all four games against the Packers and Bears in the last six weeks of the season. Never before or hopefully again.

Devereaux Peters, the Lynx’s first pick in this week’s WNBA draft, never averaged more than 11.9 points per game in college but the 6-2 forward could help Minnesota defensively as a rookie. She was a finalist for national WBCA Defensive Player of the Year at Notre Dame.

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